


Only the Best

by Perpetual Motion (perpetfic)



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Best Men, M/M, Marriage Barisi Bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 06:22:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24346465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perpetfic/pseuds/Perpetual%20Motion
Summary: Sonny's choosing his wedding party, and it's a big pile of emotions.
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.
Comments: 15
Kudos: 68
Collections: Marriage Barisi Bingo





	Only the Best

"I'm going to have Rita and Liv stand up for me," Rafael tells Sonny one nights as they have dinner at home for once. "I honestly can't choose between them, and even though I know neither of them would be offended if the other was chosen, it doesn't feel right."

"You're getting soft, Rafael."

"Must be this marriage thing," Rafael replies. "No wonder I avoided it for so long."

Sonny snorts. "Love of my life, pain of my ass."

Rafael laughs. "You love it."

"Yeah, I do."

*

"Would you want to be in the wedding party if I asked?" Sonny asks Amanda one day as they're having lunch. 

She scrunches up her face in distaste. "When I left Georgia, I donated nine bridesmaid dresses to the thrift shop. I didn't even remember I had them. I'd rather just be the back-up friend who breaks up the fights the wedding party shouldn't have to."

Sonny grins. "So, like, unofficial legbreaker for the grooms?"

"Yeah, I like that."

"That sounds great. Thanks, Amanda."

"Thanks for understanding why I wouldn't want to be in the wedding party officially."

"Hey, yeah, no problem."

*

"OF COURSE!" Mike shouts when Sonny asks if he'll be one of his best men. "HOLY SHIT OF COURSE!"

Sonny laughs, then whoops when Mike not only hugs him, but _lifts him in the air_. "Well, just be sure you're sure," he says as he hugs Mike back. 

"Are you kidding? This means a lot, man." Mike squeezes Sonny one more time then puts him back on his feet. "You know I love you, and you and Rafael are so good together. Getting to be part of the day officially is amazing. Thank you."

Sonny has to blink away tears at Mike's warm tone and slightly damp eyes. "You're welcome."

"So, what can I do to help?" Mike asks as they both take their seats at the bar again. "You need someone to organize things? I can look up caterers or something."

Sonny thinks about it as he sips his beer. "Actually, what I need right now is to run an idea by you. Rafael's going to ask Liv and Rita to stand up, so I need another person as well."

"You have someone in mind? Amanda?"

"Amanda's over weddings," Sonny says. "She'd rather just be there as backup without having to worry about other stuff."

"That makes sense," Mike says. "Someone else? I swear you know half the city."

Sonny chuckles in agreement. "I mean, yeah, I do, but that's just because I'm friendly and good with names. In terms of people I'm really close to, it's a pretty short list. But I was thinking...maybe Tommy."

Mike squints as he thinks. "Your brother-in-law? Bella's husband? I've met him a couple of times, right?"

"Yeah, you have."

Mike nods in that way that means the picture is forming in his mind. "Yeah. Okay. He and I talked about working out. I remember, now. He'd been trying to come up with ways to work out that Izzy could be part of actively rather than in her stroller."

Sonny grins. "I remember that, yeah. I know I've mentioned he and I didn't get along for a long time because he was kind of a low-level deadbeat."

"He's cleaned up his act, right? I mean, I know about the parole officer thing he went through, and you were there for him."

Sonny shrugs. "Not as well as I could have been. I didn't believe him at first, and I was still getting rid of some bullshit about male victims I was sure I didn't believe until Tommy came forward and made me face it. I mean, I got my head out of my ass, and I apologized to him for how I treated him, and we've had a good relationship since then, but I…" He shrugs again. "Do you think he'll think it's some sort of pity request?'

Mike pulls back, shocked. "What? No. It's not like you're asking him to stand up at your wedding right after everything that happened. You two get along great. You always tell me what he's up to when you see him and Bella and Izzy. I bet he'd be thrilled to be part of the wedding."

Sonny nods slowly. "I hope so. I'll sleep on it."

"Yeah, do that. Text me if you need to work it out, okay?"

"I will. Thanks, Mike."

*

"Mike said yes," Sonny says to Rafael when he gets home that night. "And he and I talked about me asking Tommy."

"What'd he say?" Rafael asks, setting his book aside. He tilts his chin to meet Sonny's quick kiss. "I assume he was all for it."

Sonny nods and sits next to Rafael on the couch, kicking off his shoes. "Yeah. He thinks Tommy won't think it's a pity thing."

"I still don't understand why you think he'd take it that way at all," Rafael replies, sliding an arm around Sonny as Sonny leans against him.

"I just worry," Sonny says.

"I know," Rafael says because there's not really anything else to say. Sonny's brain just does this sometimes. "If we have an uneven wedding party, so be it. Mike can be the beefcake in the beautiful woman sandwich walking down the aisle."

Sonny chuckles and nuzzles against Rafael's neck. "Thanks for saying that, but I really do want to ask him. I just have to get out of my own head."

"Let's have them over for dinner," Rafael offers. "Maybe it'll be easier if asking is just part of a larger conversation."

Sonny hums in thought. "Yeah, that could work. Good idea."

"I've been known to have a few."

*

They set the dinner for Thursday night. Sonny cooks a bit too much, making alfredo and steaming clams and putting together a white wine broth for them. He mixes a dark greens salad and lays out a tray of cheese, meat, and pickled vegetables for snacking while everything finishes simmering. Rafael picks up wine and dessert and does not comment on the absolute mountain of clams Sonny is sticking into the steam pot when there's a knock on the door. 

"Good god, I swear it's like you think the whole family's coming over," Bella says the moment she sees how much food Sonny is working with. "You could feed the block."

Sonny gives her a one-armed hug, then steps aside as she knocks him with her hip so she can taste everything. "Hi, Bells."

"Hey." She sips the white wine broth. "This needs ginger."

"It does not." Sonny pushes the ginger out of her reach. "Give it five more minutes, then try it again."

"It'll still need more ginger."

"You're worse than Ma."

"Am not."

Sonny rolls his eyes and turns to greet Tommy, who's talking with Rafael. Izzy's in Rafael's arms, leaning against his shoulder and sucking her thumb. "There's my Busy-Izzy," Sonny says to her, waving. She waves shifts her thumb so she can wave without taking her thumb out of her mouth. 

"She's wiped," Tommy says to Sonny. "We had swim class today, and then she played in the day care area while I did some laps."

"You're looking good," Sonny says, thumping Tommy's arm. "Seems like swimming really fits you."

"Yeah, I was bored at first like I've been with everything, but once I get in the groove, it just fits. I think it's because I can sort of just let my mind wander and don't have to worry about jogging into anyone or dropping a weight on my toes or anything."

"Yeah, that's why I've always liked it," Sonny says. He gestures towards the kitchen. "Beer? Wine?"

"Whatever," Tommy says. He glances around Sonny. "Bella's going for the ginger again."

Sonny turns on his heel. "Bella, damnit!"

"It needs it!" she hollers without turning around.

Sonny stalks over to her and misses the knowing look Tommy and Rafael share.

*

They eat and drink and talk. Tommy's gotten a promotion at work--his third in a year--and they toast his success. Bella's started yet another art project for the apartment, and Izzy is happy to be passed from one adult to another, eating bits and pieces from each of their plates and dozing lightly against them until she decides she needs another bite. 

With Izzy warm against his chest and Rafael's leg pressed against his under the table, Sonny lets the happy, content feeling of being with his family wrap around him. He can see now, as they sit and talk, that he and Tommy regard each other as equals. There's no worry from Tommy's end that Sonny just puts up with him or that he's faking interest. The years-long issues they had as Tommy stumbled into his current confidence has gone away, not like it was never there, but like it simply was something and now isn't. They both know how different the other is now, and they're friends. Truly. 

"Hey, Tommy," Sonny says when there's a lull in the conversation. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure," Tommy says, leaning back in his chair. He slings an arm around the back of Bella's chair, and she kisses him on the cheek with absent-minded affection as she rocks Izzy back and forth on her lap. 

Sonny takes a deep breath, pushing the last of his nerves as far away as he can. "I was hoping you'd want to be in the wedding," he says. "As one of my best men. It'd be you and Mike."

Tommy's eyes go wide. Beside him, Bella breaks into a wide smile and looks like she might cry. "I…" Tommy says. "Really?!"

Bella laughs and elbows him. "Tommy!"

"Yes, I mean yes," Tommy says quickly and stands up, arms out. "Wow. Yeah. I'm honored." 

Sonny stands and hugs him. "Thank you. Thanks. It means a lot."

"No, man, it means so much," Tommy says, pulling away so he can see Sonny's face. "I really just…"

"He thinks of you like a brother," Bella says when Tommy can't seem to finish the sentence. "And I told him he should tell you, but he was worried."

"Not because you've been a jerk or anything," Tommy says. "I mean, not in a long time, and I mean, for a long time, you weren't being a jerk-jerk. You were just--"

"Yeah, yeah," Sonny cuts in. "Yeah, I know. But, man. Tommy. I really respect all the work you put in to just be a good dad and a good husband and good person. I know all the stuff you went through to get to who you are, and I'm really glad you're part of my family."

Tommy blinks quickly, but it doesn't stop the tears. "Bella," he says quietly. "Help."

Bella chuckles and gives Sonny a bright smile. "He's wanted to say thanks for a long time about how you've accepted him as he's changed. You know the rest of the family's still on his case for every little thing."

"The fact that Gina would even begin to throw stones…" Rafael mutters, and they all share a knowing laugh. 

"Right," Bella says, grinning at Rafael. "And Mom and Dad try their best, but Sonny, you're the one who's really embraced Tommy working to change. It means a lot to both of us."

"Well, I mean, you're my brother, right?" Sonny asks, and he doesn't even try to blink away his own tears. There's no point. He's too happy.

"Yeah. Sure. Yeah," Tommy says, and they hug again.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you, M, for the beta!


End file.
